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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25839280">Off to Sleep</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivea/pseuds/Kivea'>Kivea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>k2 Week [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>South Park</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Almost date, Covid Fic, Fluff, Intimate Setting, M/M, Quarantine, Rule Breaking, inner turmoil, it's another really soft one, lockdown - Freeform, movies - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:20:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25839280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivea/pseuds/Kivea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <b>Day 2: Movies [soundtrack]</b>
</p>
<p>t was night time when he received the message; a photo of the old So Do So Pa building and the makeshift movie room that they'd set up, but with more distance between the seats. The text was simple; an invitation to come socially distance while watching a movie together. </p>
<p>The decision wasn’t difficult to make, given how much of a toll it was having on him, being trapped with his parents. Maybe...the slowly growing crush helped him make up his mind. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kyle Broflovski/Kenny McCormick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>k2 Week [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1873447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Off to Sleep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The songs I used for this were Off to Sleep, Final Breath, and Down to a Dusty Plain, by Cœur De Pirate, from the Child of Light soundtrack. </p>
<p>WHICH I KNOW IS A VIDEOGAME not a movie but when I came up with the premise her music was ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT so here we are. </p>
<p>I like to think this could be set in the same universe as my Day 1 was!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The message that he received was accompanied by a photo. It was a photo of the old So Do So Pa building built around the McCormick household. Something he was familiar with, as they often used it as a hangout spot – at least, before this whole...quarantine happened.  </p>
<p>In the photo he could see a projector, one that they’d acquired from an abandoned Drive-Thru cinema that they’d explored a few years prior together and he knew had an accompanying speaker. There were the usual mattresses covered in sheets and blankets, along with a wall of pillows between the two of them.  </p>
<p>
  <em> if u wanna watch a movie its def 2 meters apart ;)  </em>
</p>
<p>He hadn’t left the house in days. His mother was grinding on his last nerve, as was his preteen brother who thought he knew everything, and if he had to listen to his dad make vaguely racist comments and conspiracy theories for another night he’d stab his own ears with drumsticks.  </p>
<p>The decision wasn’t difficult to make. The allure of being able to see Kenny again in the midst of all this madness was too tempting. So long as they kept the two meters apart, it would be fine, right?  </p>
<p>Maybe...the slowly growing crush helped him make up his mind.  </p>
<p>He snuck out his window; a move he’d done hundreds of times. No one seemed to pay him any mind, if the last few nights were to be repeated it was unlikely he was going to get disturbed, given that once he retreated to his room after dinner his family mostly left him alone. That might’ve had something to do with the screaming match he had with the TV the week before.  </p>
<p>His nerves were high, and he was regretting ever turning down Stan’s suggesting they hang out in the garden together, even if he didn’t want his mother’s disapproving rants turned on him instead of their dad.  </p>
<p>It was dark out, which made it easier to sneak up onto the old structure. Kenny was already there and just the sight of him made Kyle’s heart simultaneously calm down and speed up.  </p>
<p>“Hey,” he greeted, laughing as the blonde spun round with wide eyes. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”  </p>
<p>“You didn’t respond, assface,” Kenny pointed out. “That excited to see me that you couldn’t spare two minutes to type out ‘yes’?”  </p>
<p>He flushed and failed to hold steady eye contact. “I was happy for an excuse to leave the house, alright?”  </p>
<p>“Oh, so it wasn’t about me?” Kenny pressed a hand against his chest. “Wound me so.”  </p>
<p>“Shut up,” Kyle fumbled through his embarrassment. “What are we watching?”  </p>
<p>Kenny shrugged. “I don’t mind, dude. You can pick. I’ve watched nearly everything we have at least once this lockdown, so you can pick.”  </p>
<p>The box that held the movies had been dumped in the middle of the floor just in front of the large, white sheet that they pinned up as a makeshift screen. He wasn’t picky; the first thing he laid his eyes on was good enough for him. One of the Star Wars movies. When he turned to offer it to Kenny, his words died in his throat.  </p>
<p>The blonde had used the time Kyle was searching to finish setting things up, though clearly hadn’t been expecting him to be so fast.  </p>
<p>The two mattresses were there, just like in the photo. So were the walls of pillows between them that Kyle wasn’t totally convinced was two meters. The projector was in the middle on top of an old box that they always had it on when they hung out with the others to watch the movies in what had been dubbed McCormick’s Theatre.  </p>
<p>But there were also fairy lights that he was pretty sure were from Karen’s room, because she was in that phase right now. They weren’t anything overly impressive, wrapped around the base of the projector and over the edge of the box, but they were enough to make him pause. To change the atmosphere even if just a little. Kenny stood up from riffling through a cooler box, standing and looking a little like he’d been caught in headlights, with a bottle of pop and two wine glasses, sheepish grin on his face.  </p>
<p>“I, uh, you can say no if you don’t want to use our glasses, but-?”  </p>
<p>“Did you wash them?”  </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Kenny nodded and rushed to put them down at the foot of the mattresses. “I’ve got anti-bac wipes too. I know you keep going on about how we need to start getting them, for when the whole thing lifts a bit, y’know? So, I did.”  </p>
<p>His heart swelled. He yearned to reach out and hug his friend. But he knew he shouldn’t.  </p>
<p>“You alright?”  </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Kyle croaked out. “I’ve just – I picked the movie.”  </p>
<p>“Great!” Kenny nodded. “I’ll let you pour yourself a drink.”  </p>
<p>He settled on the mattress on the right and grabbed an anti-bac, picking up a glass and deciding to bury his emotions under jokes. “Wine glasses? What am I, a cheap date?”  </p>
<p>“Well, I figured this was the most action I’m gonna see for a few weeks, might as well treat you right.”  </p>
<p>Kyle looked over his shoulder to give his flirty friend a disapproving look. “Ha ha, very funny.”  </p>
<p>“Hey, I’m charming,” Kenny defended with a smirk. “Look at all this effort I went to, making you your very own theatre.”  </p>
<p>“You added some pillows and fairy lights, dude, it’s not that much.”  </p>
<p>It was. It really was.  </p>
<p>“Fuck you then, last time I do anything nice.”  </p>
<p>The blonde flopped down on the opposite mattress, lazy smile on his face that promised he was playing into the jokes easily. Once Kyle had finished, Kenny withdrew an anti-bac wipe, covering his hand with one and moving to clean down the bottle that Kyle had touched, mimicking actions that Kyle had done with the bottle and glass. Kenny attempted to shoot it over to the bin in the corner, completely missing.  </p>
<p>He looked across to the blonde, taking in the smile on his face, the blue in his eyes, and the way the light touched his skin and cast shadows across his face.  </p>
<p>Kyle looked forward to the movie resolutely. “It’s started.”  </p>
<p>“Right, right. Let’s watch.”  </p>
<p>It was exactly what he needed.  </p>
<p>He allowed himself to be totally absorbed in the movie that was going on ahead of them. It wasn’t like they hadn’t spoken; they were on discord frequently, with the others and with just the two of them. He’d confided in Kenny how hard it had been, being cooped up in the house with his parents. Kenny had confided how hard it had been continuing to work at City Wok, moving from the shop floor to being a glorified delivery driver.  </p>
<p>But it had been a long while since he’d seen the boy in person, and he couldn’t stop himself looking over. It was almost surreal to see him now, lying there on the mattress resting against the pillows behind him as he watched the movie, like nothing was wrong. Like it was totally normal, and back to what it was. Like they hadn’t been kept from each other.  </p>
<p>The only difference was the pillows between them, but honestly? Kyle couldn’t bring himself to be too upset about it, if it’s what it meant he had to do to spend any time with him at all.  </p>
<p>So they sat, enjoying the company of someone who wasn’t of their own household. Enjoying this break from the shitshow the world had been thrown into, despite the moral quandary of whether or not they should. Instead they allowed their brains a moment to just be.  </p>
<p>He didn’t realise how much he needed it.  </p>
<p>He didn’t realise how much of a toll this thing had been taking on his mental wellbeing.  </p>
<p>He thanked the heavens that there was no angry messaging from his phone. That no one noticed he was gone.  </p>
<p>Eventually he stopped being distracted by the blonde and instead was engrossed in the movie he’d seen a thousand times. They were quiet so not to draw attention to themselves, the tinny speaker behind them lower than normal. He filled up his glass once, careful to cover his hand and wipe it down before he picked up the bottle.  </p>
<p>He supposed it was a good thing to get used to, and Kenny had been right. He’d been the one to insist they all invest in them.  </p>
<p>When the credits began to roll, he couldn’t bring himself to move. He looked over to where Kenny lay, propped up on his elbow as he enjoyed the atmosphere, making no effort to start conversation. It was Kyle who did, a little while after trying to think about what to say.  </p>
<p>Controlling his heart long enough to speak was difficult.  </p>
<p>“Hey...”  </p>
<p>Kenny looked over, blue eyes glinting from the light of the fairy lights. </p>
<p>“Thank you,” Kyle said, hesitating as he tried to figure out how he wanted to form his words. “For tonight. This whole...thing has had me pretty crazy.”  </p>
<p>“I think it’s had everyone pretty crazy,” Kenny admitted. “Being trapped in that house has...”  </p>
<p>“Yeah,” Kyle agreed. “Just when we thought our parents couldn’t get more insufferable.”  </p>
<p>“You’ve seen Stan, right? How’s he been managing?”  </p>
<p>“I haven’t. Apart from today, I haven’t been out the house. Mom’s been pretty...intense,” he admitted with a flush. “Getting out was hard.”  </p>
<p>Kenny’s brows pulled together. “But...I was sure you two would at least...?”  </p>
<p>“It’s...not like he hasn’t asked,” Kyle confessed. “Just to sit in the garden together, but I haven’t wanted to risk it. Not with mom breathing down my neck.”  </p>
<p>“Isn’t he gonna be mad that you came here?”  </p>
<p>Kyle thought to Stan’s teasing face, poking and prodding about the developing crush that the redhead had, and Kyle couldn’t bring himself to hold Kenny’s gaze any longer as a nervous laugh broke forth. “Uh, no, I don’t think he’ll be surprised.”  </p>
<p>“You really know how to make a guy feel special.”  </p>
<p>The heat on his face got worse. “Shove off, Kenny. It’s not a big deal.”  </p>
<p>“What, that one half of the famous Super Best Friends decided to see lil’ old me first?”  </p>
<p>Kyle glared across the cushions. “Don’t make me regret it.”  </p>
<p>The dazzling blue eyes had his breath caught in his throat. They sat in silence, credits still rolling, staring at each other in silence. He knew that it was important that he still kept the social distance, that they had that space between them to separate them, yet...  </p>
<p>The temptation was so strong, to reach across for his friend’s hand. He’d been scared. Terrified. Even just this bubble they’d made on top of the old So Do So Pa building had made him feel like a normal human again. Here, with is friend, just...enjoying being alive.  </p>
<p>Kenny made him enjoy being alive.  </p>
<p>He saw the blonde’s hand shift as it moved across, and his own mimicked the action. Twitching closer together. They were already breaking the rules, would it really...be so bad?  </p>
<p>“Kenny?!” came a high-pitched call from below them. “Ken, where ya gone? Yer not playin’ up there again, are ya?”  </p>
<p>They snapped their hands back and Kenny swore as he stood up and headed to the edge of the structure. Kyle was sure to keep his body flat to the mattress and cushions, as if anyone could see him sat there.  </p>
<p>“What is it?” </p>
<p>As Kenny and his mom had a brief conversation, Kyle tried to calm the heart that was hammering away in his chest. He mentally scolded himself at doing exactly what he promised he wouldn’t, for pushing the boundaries that little bit too far. He should’ve known that if anyone would make him want to, it would be Kenny, just by being himself.  </p>
<p>When the blonde returned he moved to sit back in his place on the other side of the setup he’d made, looking across at the now blank screen. “Mom’s calling me to help Karen with the homework she’s been set.”  </p>
<p>"That’s fine,” Kyle nodded. “I shouldn’t stay out too long anyway. Who knows when mom will want to come get me?”  </p>
<p>“I’ll go in first, so they’re not looking out for when I come back. You’ll be alright going home, yeah?” </p>
<p>“Easy,” Kyle assured with a nod. “I’ll text you, alright?”  </p>
<p>Kenny gave him a lopsided smile. “I’d like that.”  </p>
<p>He waited for the blonde to leave, and waited again for his racing heart to calm down. After a good five minutes he stood and moved to climb down the side of the structure and checked the time to try figure out where his family would be in the house.  </p>
<p>He headed back towards his own house, through the wobbly gap in the fence so he could enter through the backdoor. The lights were all off and he fumbled through the familiar house in the dark, making his way to his own room. He decided he should probably avoid telling Stan about the rendezvous. Especially when he’d been so insistent that he and Stan couldn’t even hang out in the garden together.  </p>
<p>He flopped down on his bed once he was in the clear and let out a sigh, kicking his shoes off. An adoring smile crept across his face as he pulled out his phone to see he had a message waiting for him.  </p>
<p>
  <em> thnx for tnight. Ive missed ur cute face </em>
</p>
<p>He typed back a response, trying to keep it casual, while also expressing how grateful he was for the blonde who was slowly stealing his heart. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I like this a bit more, but that might be because I put a lot of frustrations into it. While the whole global pandemic thing hasn't changed MY life that much (because I had to keep going to work through it all, and my workplace isn't customer facing either), things were v stressful at home as I was the only one in my house who could still go out. </p>
<p>So, it's their emotions that I kind of tried to channel, and I hope I did it justice!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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